An advertisement in Inspire magazine for an upcoming article by Anwar al Awlaki.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has released the seventh edition of its Inspire magazine. The publication, which was obtained by the SITE Intelligence Group, praises the Sept. 11 attacks and the events that followed, claiming that the terrorists are bleeding America dry. The latest installment is a greatest hits collection of al Qaeda’s propaganda themes, including the claim that the American-led West is at war with Muslims.

One of the last pages of the publication includes an advertisement for a future edition. Set against a picture of Grand Central Station in midtown Manhattan is the title of an article apparently written by AQAP cleric Anwar al Awlaki. The title reads: “Targeting The Populations Of Countries That Are At War With The Muslims.” Inspire’s editors promise that the article is “coming soon.”

Awlaki has been tied to multiple terrorist plots against the West, including the November 2009 Fort Hood Shooting and the failed Christmas Day 2009 terrorist attack.

While Inspire’s editors celebrate various terrorist attacks against the West, ranging from the 2004 Madrid train bombings to the 2009 Fort Hood Shooting, there is no explicit mention of al Qaeda’s many Muslim victims. AQAP and al Qaeda are clearly sensitive to the charge that they and their jihadist ilk have killed far more Muslims than non-Muslims during the past 10 years, however.

One screen shot includes a quote from al Qaeda’s emir, Ayman al Zawahiri, who responds to the Algerian government’s supposed “lies that al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb [AQIM] targeted Muslims.”

“Our brothers in AQIM are more truthful, more just and more righteous than the lying sons of France,” Zawahiri is quoted as saying. In reality, data accumulated by the National Counterterrorism Center reveal that, in all likelihood, far more Muslims than non-Muslims have been killed in the terrorists’ global insurgency launched 10 years ago. [The data can be accessed online here.] While AQIM has targeted non-Muslims in Algeria, it has also repeatedly targeted Algerian security forces, including Muslim members of those forces. The same can be said for al Qaeda-affiliated groups around the globe — Muslims are the jihadist hydra’s primary victims.

Rage’s words, Inspire’s editors explain, came after the merger between Shabaab and Hizbul Islam, another jihadist organization operating in Somalia. Inspire’s editors also say that his words were spoken “much after [Shabaab’s] allegiance to the al Qaeda organization.”

The extent of Shabaab’s allegiance to al Qaeda has been debated by counterterrorism analysts even though Shabaab’s leaders have repeatedly proclaimed their al Qaeda bona fides.

Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for The Long War Journal.

5 Comments

What amazes me about this is that here’s a guy (Awlaki) who has a known weakness (the media-mob like to label it a “preference”) for blond-hair, blue-eyed prostitutes of Russian descent.
I lived near Sacramento CA for many years and he’d have no problem finding such. As a matter of fact, in West Sac, you can find them by the dozen (believe me, I use to know one).
The fact is that this guy has a 50 million bounty on him which would make for one ‘happy hooker’ if she could help to nail him.
My ‘4free’ advice to the CIA has always been to plan strategy ‘out of the box’ (i.e., ‘unconventionally’), that is, if they haven’t hopefullly already done so. This is by no means a conventional war.
I will now dare to suggest they at least seriously consider getting the help of prostitutes (or even pimps) to help in gaining actionable intel on Awlaki. Or, just have your ops pose as prostitutes or pimps in order to accomplish the same.

Regarding the deaths of Muslims, AQ merely can claim that they were either puppets or apostates and not ‘real’ Muslims as they were fighting against AQ and not with them. Equally Muslims who oppose the tactics of AQ claim they are the ones who are not ‘real’ Muslims.
I think it is convenient for Shabaab to align themselves with AQ, In the eyes of the worlds media it immediately elevated them to be seen as a greater threat, it grants them greater publicity and also increases their abililty to recruit.
As for its ‘coming soon’ well plots have just been prevented both in the UK and the US so they’re not doing a very good job.

Neonmeat, you were right on the button on the ‘coming soon’. This is another one not coming at all, instead being consigned to hell, with the msg:
“Do not pass go, do not collect 40 virgins, go straight to Hell.”

You know…war has a way of bringing out the best and the worst in people. And one thing the American people are learning more and more, is just how much money there is in war. It is a noble fight to beat down terrorism, that much is certain, but youtube has a way of clarifying how it must be done with contracting seminars in 2000 dollar a night hotels, or how military supply lines require supplemental funding that is at times, in excess the value of the cargo, and then, beyond the money and the supply lines, there is the intelligence! A steady stream of links provides a conspiracy-laden perspective that is, if not real, at least fun to read about. But sometimes something happens that really makes you turn your head.
That the president of Yemen, can reflect upon his future, support from the US and Saudi Arabia, and coupled with this timely death of Samir Khan and Anwar Awlaki, reinforce the notion that the taliban, alqaeda, and the muslim brotherhood are the intertwined issue of the moment…http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/yemens-president-ali-abdullah-saleh-speaks/2011/09/29/gIQAn9qv7K_print.html
Well…let’s just throw up our hands and close down all of military intelligence. Perhaps Clapper was a little wonky when he explained the MB in an unpopular but well-studied manner. It may be that Saleh, from the comfort of his besieged HQ’s may know more than educated observers. And maybe, just maybe, behind the mob rapists in egypt, there are a few individuals who want to live a civil life. Will the West have the patience to find them? Who can truly be sure?
This Arab democracy is going to be difficult. The last thing we need are echoes from the 70s wood paneling in the Saudi Intelligence office. It’s time to get to work and stop playing games.